ED RULES THE HEARTS

EDUARD MALOFEEV turned to Harold MacMillan for inspiration yesterday - but stopped short of telling Hearts fans they've never had it so good.

The Scottish Cup is in the trophy cabinet at Tynecastle for the first time in eight years and the Jambos sit second top of the SPL, yet crisis continues to swirl around Gorgie like winter snow in the Siberian tundra.

Former Soviet Union boss Malofeev came in from the cold 10 days ago to resurrect a management career that appeared, at the age of 64, to be on wind-down after recent spells working for Vladimir Romanov at Kaunas and MTZ Ripo Minsk.

Now this engaging, eccentric and entertaining football man is set to step into the void left by Valdas Ivanauskas for much longer than the fortnight originally anticipated.

Hearts are giving nothing away but Ivanauskas has confirmed he will not be back to work next week as Malofeev continues with his revamp at Riccarton.

He has changed training programmes and team formations but, just as crucially, has also introduced an iron rod of discipline skipper Steven Pressley felt was lacking and to which he alluded in his bombshell statement last week.

It's understood too many players, particularly the Lithuanians, have been taking liberties with the players' own disciplinary code knowing their place in the team is all but secure - but no more.

Malofeev speaks in loud and enthusiastic tones and gestures ever more wildly, but even without his translator it's possible to get the picture - and it's not all bad at Hearts.

Asked to reflect on his early days in charge, he said: "As Harold MacMillan said when he met Nikita Khrushchev for the first time, 'I feel like a lion who discovers a bear's hug doesn't always break his ribs'.

"I'm not young any more and I like order and discipline, which must come from the top. I know football well and have been head coach of many other teams. I know what players need and that's why I want to make Hearts united.

"The team needs to be united and the club needs to be united. There can be no separation and we must move forward together.

"We need to lift our fitness levels, improve discipline on the training ground, between colleagues and in all areas of the club.

"When the players go to training they need to pay attention. Some-times they have been absent-minded when they should be more attentive and we must raise the level of their responsibilities."

Earlier, Pressley had entered the conference room at Riccarton and insisted the cracks he exposed seven days earlier were in the process of being healed thanks, in a large part, to Malofeev's wily influence.

Malofeev insisted the club owner was not to be taken literally when he threatened to sell all the players if they didn't defeat Dunfermline and again stressed he has sole responsibility for team selection

He will not shirk from dropping Romanov favourites and the selection of Julien Brellier as sub against the Pars proved, according to Malofeev, everyone is starting anew.

He said: "Vladimir loves this team and wants to fight for this team. I'm curious that we can't even share a joke because that's what it was. It's not interesting to live this life if everyone says the same things all the time.

"Again, in all my life as a head coach I have never allowed anyone to pick my team, no one interferes.

"Of course I take advice from the likes of the medical staff but I've always been the man who has the last word.

"I've heard a lot of gossip about Vladimir but people who talk about this are only exposing their own weaknesses. If they say Vladimir is picking the team they are only humiliating themselves.

"It has never happened with me before that my strongest players sit on the bench and it'll be the same here, including Brellier.

"I have been head coach of many teams, including Dinamo Kiev and Dynamo Moscow, and I will never have my strongest players sitting on the bench."

Malofeev is at an age when most men are looking to retire but he is having none of it. The Hearts job has already done for the well-being of Ivanauskas and Malofeev reportedly left Kaunas last year for a time and returned home to Minsk as a result of ill health.

However, he is coy on the details and insists he is ready for the challenge of leading Hearts for however long he is needed.

Malofeev added: "At the moment, God is taking care of me. The thing that happened in Kaunas was a tactical step and I'm experienced in this kind of situation.

"I'm at the age when I need to take care of myself seriously and, if necessary, have talks with the doctors on preventative medicines but I think everyone sees their doctor from time to time.

"I have the strength and power to live and work. I want a full life - I'll play with the grandchildren later."

Malofeev has every faith in his players delivering today against Celtic, a club he has always admired.

He said: "Can we go there and win? Of course - which soldier does not want to win and go on to become a general?

"I know Celtic from the 1960s and remember when I was young they played Dinamo Kiev and drew 1-1. They left a very good impression.

"I've always been very positive to that team and this time I want to see a really beautiful match between our clubs. I want to put on a good performance so all the fans will go home with their thoughts all over the match they have just witnessed.

"We're going out there to perform well for Hearts."

Taken from the Daily Record